The Asgardian Knight
by Evelyn Rogue
Summary: Loki Odinson had been pardoned of all wrong doing several years after the invasion. Now a formidable member of the Avengers, Loki serves as a magical guardian. When a powerful Tyrant sends him back in time, he is forced to reforge his friendship with the Avengers and earn their trust in order to save the universe. (Avenger Loki)
1. Tyrants

(**THE TRYSIUS DIMENSION/EARTH YR 2019)**The quiet click of boots on crystal-like floors filled the echoing void as a figure strode down a narrow pathway towards the throne pedestal.

The Trysius Dimension, named after its founder Claudius Trysius, was a world intircately weaved of crystal and precious stones, with winding pathways contructed by magic over the darkest voids.

a crystal sun, throwing every shade of blue and purple across the magically conjured structures, created a mesmerizing sparkle on just about everything.

Evana Talamara Trysius III sat upon her diamond throne, a massive spiky construct that cast rays of light across the suspended throne pedestal. At her back was a void of stars, and all together, the atmosphere only added to the might which she projected.

The first woman strode four feet from the throne, and bent a knee, head drooped in submission. "Queen Trysius." She muttered.

"Commander-" The queen hummed, leaning forward with an elbow on the arm of her chair, chin propped boredly on her clenched fist. "I trust you accomplished your task with little hindrance?"

The commander raised a fist, and two guards dragged their prisoner down the path. As was custom, only those bidden were permitted to walk the crystal pathway to the throne.

Her masked soldiers, personally trained assassins well versed in black magic were supporting an unconscious black clad figure between them.

"I have, your majesty. The Asgardian Knight was not easy to apprehend however. His friends are quite relentless."

The queen boredly grunted and made a flippant motion with her free hand.

"Well, release him."

Never would the guards question their supreme leader, on pain of death; but the confusion on their faces was barely missed by the commander or her queen.

With little care, they threw the prisoner forward, and he hit the marbel pavement with a barely audible thud.

The queen got a quick look at the fabled magician who's power supposedly rivaled her own.

He was tall, well over six feet; and increadibly wiry. He wore a heavy black overcoat with black formfitting metal armor plating beneath it. He had a short black ponytail, probably two inches, and his face was covered by a black toned and featureless full face metal mask.

With a barely audible groan, he worked his still numb limbs under him and managed a position on his hands and knees, steadying the glowing green eyes of his mask on her.

A dry chuckled escaped his lips as he lowered his eyes to the floor and shook his head.

"I always did wonder when you'd notice little ole' me.'

"As you should have, Loki Laufeyson." Evana replied, showing the barest hint of interest.

He murmured under his breath.

"I beg your pardon?" Demanded the queen.

"It's _Odinson_. You know, for the most powerful witch in the multiverse, I'd expect you to be more informed."

"Watch your tongue, Frost Giant, lest you tempt me to _remove_ it."

"_Asguardian._" Loki scowled. "I am Loki _Odinson _of _Asguard._ I mean, it's literally in the name- The Asgardian Knight." He then scoffed. "It seems you aren't that bright after all."

The queen shot forward, in an instance, her fingers locking around Loki's unprotected throat. She was using her magic to drain his, had been since he was first dragged into the borders of her realm.

On top of it all, she was stronger than him, using magic to fortify her muscles. His gag of surprise graced her ears.

"You _will respect me."_ She speaks dangerously, yanking him forward so she can whisper in his ear. "Not only for your own pathetic sake, but for that of your friends."

Loki gasped for air, prompting her to shove him down in disgust. He sat on one knee, rubbing his throat, coughing air back into his stressed out lungs.

"My-_ cough_ -friends?"

"The Avengers." Evana replied, returning to her throne with the grace of a swan. "I can destroy them with the snap of my fingers."

"Is that so?" He gasped in a raspy voice.

"Don't play dumb."

"Very well then. I don't need it spelled out. What do you want from me?"

"Ah finally cooperative." She rose to her feet and paced to an open oart of the platform. Purple magic danced across her finger tips as she waved her hand. An intricately designed tree of Yggdrasil slowly formed in middair, a shimmering violet illusion.

"Recognize it?"

"Of course I do." Loki replied. "The tree of Yggdrasil, connects the nine realms and touches the heavens... what of it?"

"As you know, I have been forbidden from exiting my realm and traversing the nine realms... by your father actually."

"I remember." Loki replied nonchalantly.

"Hmph. Well that is where _you_ come in."

"If you're going to ask me to reverse Odin's magic, then forget it. It is an impossibility, for not even _I _am that strong."

"You think me a fool?"

"If the shoe fits."

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Evana snarled.

"It's a midgardian compliment, my dear. Now if you already know I can't reverse Odin's spell, then what do you want me to do?"

"A powerful artifact appeared in Midgard, something Odin stripped me of. This... heirloom was very precious to me, and is currently guarded in the tomb of a midgardian viking. The tomb was sealed by Odin, and only magic as powerful as mine

..yours... or Odin's can open it. I want you to retrieve what I myself cannot."

Loki guffawed, bursting into bellowing laughter. "You really expect _me_, magical _defender _of the nine realms, to retrieve a powerful artifact and return it to an aspiring tyrant? You must be mad!"

Evana watched impatiently until the last of his laughter died away. As he wiped a tear away, she folded her arms.

"I can think of many ways to make your friends suffer. The captain may live out his days in a fantasy, living with his beloved Peggy, only to watch her die in new horrible ways every day. Your brother might find himself in an alien labor camp far far in deep space. The archer and the widow will find themselves in the hands of their worst enemies, and Stark will be stripped of his intelligence, left to rot in some mental assylum. Young Parker will watch his aunt die of a painful cancer, before being struck by it himself... and you will be my slave for all of eternity, forced to watch your friends die one by one.'

Evana watched Loki's steely green gaze harden, fists clenching by his sides.

"Fine." He hissed. "Send me back and I'll retrieve your precious heirloom." He knew he could do nothing to stop her, and while his job was important, his friends were more so. Even if it doomed the nine realms, he'd defend them.

"Back you _will go_, but by your present day, the heirloom is lost... stolen by a man who will destroy the universe with it. You must go back to a time in which it still rests in the tomb of the viking to prevent this from happening."

"Oh so now you're the goodguy?" Loki demanded sharply.

"No. I merely wish to remain living, and the man who has this artifact... will kill us all. Now are there any questions before I send you back?"

"Oh yes... _back_..." Loki was startled. "To _When_ exactly are you sending me?"

This earned an eyeroll from the queen.

"Do not fail me." Evana replied, ignoring his queary. "For the fate of your friends and the universe depends on it."

"When! Answer me darn it! Whe- AHHH!" As a purple portal opened beneath him, he dropped through.

(**AVENGERS TOWER: MAY 9, 2014)**

Two years ago, a mad god had wrought havoc upon the face of the earth, causing the strongest heroes to unify.

Trials had come and gone like the tides of time, but through it all, the Avengers had perservered. After his imprisonment on Asgard, no one had heard of Loki; and that was totally fine with them.

However, time was a fickle thing, prone to manipulation by otherworldly powers, prone to alteration by those who care little for the constraints of formality and wisdom.

After a hard and tedious day, the Avengers looked forward to some down time. Usually it consisted of pizza and quiet chattering late into the night until one by one, they dropped off to sleep or went to bed.

Tonight though, things would be different. As they sat around a table, munching silently on pizza (Tony preferred his Shawarma), none expected a sudden roar behind them.

All turned to see a seething purple vortex floating above the living room floor, and with a poof, a figure was deposited.

Quick reaction times were key to effeciency, and thus as the portal vanished, she masked figure rose to a familiar sight...

Every Avenger's weapon aimed right at his face.

"Oh hogcrap."

* * *

Okay, so I seriously love the idea of Loki the Avenger going back in time to a point where he was still hated.

So hopefully this turns out really well. If you all have any thoughts, comments, or suggestions, I love to hear from you, so drop a review.

-Darkwolf (now Evelyn)


	2. Masks

"Oh hogcrap." Loki breathed, forgetting to disguise his voice. Thor's brow furrowed, suspicion on his features, but Loki was in jail, no?

It could have been just the mask. It must have been.

"Who are you?" Natasha Romanov demanded, her stinger level with the bridge of his nose.

"They call me Knight, though some refer to me as the Asgardian Knight." Loki replied, using a faint vibration spell to mask his voice.

"Okay, that's clearly a codename. Who's under the mask?" Tony pressed.

"It doesn't matter." Knight replied sternly. "I mean you no harm; that'sallyou need to know."

"What we do and don't need to know is up to us. You crashed into our living room, and quite frankly that makes your identity our business."

"Correction,my livingroom.Get the facts straight, Barton." Tony corrected flatly.

"I didn't crash into your living room. I was kidnapped and thendumpedinto your living room."

Steve studied the situation. "You don't mean us harm?"

"No." Loki replied. He was thankful for the mask. So far it would keep him safe from immediate incarceration.

Jarvis spoke up. "My built in lie detector indicates that he is telling the truth. Though he is nervous, perhaps because of the proximity of your weapons to his skull."

A long suffering sigh departed the Captain's lips. "Stand down."

Loki let out his own breath when the weapons were reholstered.

"Thank you, Captain Rogers." The god of mischief muttered as he rose to his feet.

"You're still not off the hook." Steve said simply. "We still have questions."

"But whether or not I chose to answer is up to me."

"Look you don't-"

"Captain, I understand you don't trust the man who came through a vortex in your living room; but if I meant you or anyone any harm, you'd all be dead and buried by now. As it is, my only hope is to prevent the complete and utter destruction of the universe."

They were all silent, utterly so.

"The complete destruction of the universe?" Tony asked.

"Indeed. A powerful amulet was laid to rest in the tomb of an unknown viking... not very helpful, but all I've got. In a few years time, the time from whence I came, it had fallen into the hands of a madman bent on destroying the universe. I need to get it before he does."

"That's... frightening." Steve states.

"I'm still sifting through the facts, but I have a suspicion as to where the tomb might be... But the woman who sent me on this suicide mission drained me of my powers. So I'm stuck for a while." Loki crossed his arms. "So I'll be leaving now."

"Wait wait. Hold it." Tony raised a hand. "Why don't you just stay here?"

"I'd really rather not be a bother."or risk having my identity exposed.He added mentally in afterthought.

"Oh. No bother." Stark replied.

"Really, I must decline." His nervous shift only made Tony more determined.

"And I must insist. It's here or in the helicarrier... and honestly I'd choose here if I were you. Nick has a way of getting answers that people don't want found out."

Loki glared at him. Stark clearly was uncertain of the knight, but Loki should have expected that. He had a small amount of reserve magic, but not even enough to teleport away. He was stuck.

"Fine." Loki replied curtly. "I'll stay for now, but my identity remains mine and mine alone."

"For now. Everyone slips up. Clint will show you to your room. There's a spare one next to his."

"Why me?!" Clint cried.

"Because that's my only spare room." Tony lied. Loki knew at any given time, Stark had no less than fifteen rooms available.

Clint scowled but his best face on... a forced smile and motioned for the knight to follow.

Loki reluctantly followed, a slight pang of irritation clawing at his heart. He had worked hard to build friendships with each and every one of the Avengers, only to have it stolen. Back to square one, back to the outcast. It was sad and infuriating at the same time.

After Loki and Barton had departed, Nat turned to Tony.

"Is having him around the best idea. We don't know anything about who he really is, or what he's up to."

"Well it's that or turn him over to Nick which-"

"-Which would have been the wiser thing to do." Steve said.

"Look, Jarvis will keep an eye on him. If he takes his mask off, we'll know; and it sounds like he's powerless at the moment anyway."

"Thor? Your thoughts? You haven't said a thing since he got here."

"He seems familiar." Thor remarked. "As if somehow our fates are intertwined. I must think on it."

And with that Thor left.


	3. Behind Enemy Lines

The strangest feeling of all, being the outcast amongst the friends that not twenty-four hours ago, you trusted with your life.

In a sense, Loki was behind enemy lines, yet in a familiar strong hold. These people would one day be his family; but today they were his greatest obstical.

Upon being introduced to his room, Loki studied it. This room was far different than the one he was used to. Could have been the obvious security measures that Jarvis implemented in the very few minutes it took them to get here.

Truly, he was a prisoner. House arrest. Oh how it brought back memories of Asgard. His cell had been his home and prison for years, years while the Avengers relished in his capture... when in reality, he had been as much of a victim as Hawkeye.

Truth be told, he still harbored anger; though deep it truly lurked, welling up only when the day was done. The anger was less at the Avengers, and more at his brother. the oaf should have realized...

He could look Thor in the face with love; but as the time had passed on, Loki could admit that the anger had festered like an untreated wound. Things had been tense between the brothers lately in his own time... but Thor still didn't understand why.

Loki had been lost in thought long enough to prompt Clint to wave a hand in front of his face. "Dude..."

"Sorry. This is adequate. Thankyou." Loki remarked, walking through the door.

"Sure..." Clint looked skeptical. No surprise.

The archer turned to leave, heading to his own room. As his back turned, Loki caught the tailwind of an insult. "-Freaky."

The jab hurt, but insults were nothing new to the Asgardian.

He plopped down on the bed and reached to take his mask off, fingers digging under the edge, only to stop halfway.

Jarvis.

He cursed and left the mask secured in place, realizing he'd have to sleep in it.

He must have drifted into sweet oblivion, because he jolted awake when the Tower shuddered, knocking a vase from the wall and causing it to shatter.

The door was sparking oddly; and the outside of the window was obscured by a thick wave of smoke, which billowed up from a floor below.

"JARVIS, what happened?" Loki demanded.

"I am uncertain. My access to that floor has been blocked. May I ask how you are aware of my presence?"

"Not the time. I need to get down there." His words were hurried as he threw his legs over the edge of the bed and scrambled over to the door.

"The building is on lockdown. I am unable to open any doors without either good cause or an authorization code."

"I need to lend a hand! That's yourgood cause!"

"Unfortunately, that reason is invalid."

"Oh? So help me... argh..." He frowned. He knew plenty of authorization codes, but who knew how old they were? Stark was a stickler for security, meaning he likely rotated them regularly.

...Rotated... Stark had once said that he 'rotated' them. Doing a quick mental calculation revealed the set that would have been used at this time in particular, factoring in variables and years.

"Jarvis, authorization code "papa echo papa papa echo Romeo romeo oscar charlie kilo sierra!"

He blurted out, remembering one of Tony's favorite passcodes.

"Aknowledged. Access granted. May I ask how-"

"No!"

The door slid open, allowing Loki to enter the hall. He found Clint's door open, the room empty. So Clint was gone, good to know.

"Is anyone else on this level?" Loki demanded, eyeing his future roommates's doors.

"Mr Odinson is once again demonstrating his ability to sleep through just about anything." Jarvis explained.

Loki went right to Thor's door. "Open it."

With a hiss, the door slid open; the sounds of Thor's thunderous snoring shook the room. The Asgardian Knight crossed the cluttered space with a look of disgust.

"Well some things never change." He muttered, kicking aside a pair of (probably) unclean underwear.

He knew better than to approach the sleeping god of thunder, and stood far back. Picking up a marble from the desk, a devious grin crossed his face, obscured by the mask.

Oh how the tables have turned.

He threw the marble and hit Thor in the fore head. With a snort, Thor shot up. "Wha-"

Electricity caused Loki's skin to crawl as Mjolnir instantly impacted Thor's open palm.

"What are you doing here?" He demands, aiming Mjolnir at Loki with a dangerous scowl.

"The building's on fire, possibly under attack. Our- your allies are in danger."

Thor looked startled at the news. "I thought Stark's lab had faced another mundane accident."

"Either way, you should have checked."

"If an outsider must tell me such, then perhaps I have been foolish."

"You can deal with your guilt later. Let's be off."

Side by side, both men made it to the stairs with relative ease. Making it downstairs became a challenge after six levels of winding stairwells.

The air was unbearably hot, making it hard to breathe, hard to see past their watering eyes.

Loki stopped and cursed the fact that he couldn't take his mask off. The metal was starting to burn his face. _Another scar to the _many. He thought darkly.

They came to the floor of the attack, this fact made evident by the billowing smoke pouring out from under the door. Raising a knee to his stomach, Loki smashed the ball of his foot into the door, causing it to slam open with a resounding bang.

A wave of smoke engulfed them, eliciting coughing and hacking from both asgardians as they dove into the infested hallway.

The roar of a fight met their ears; and Loki charged into the unknown, using memory alone to guide him down the corridors.

His sixth sense warned him of the attack before it reached him, the whisper of an axe slicing through the air.

He jumped to the side as the metal device intended to dismember clanged against the floor.

Using the axe's handle and angle, Loki slammed a foot into his assailant's face. The heel of his boot connected to a metal helmet.

Thor, nearby at the time, slammed Mjolnir into the same direction after taking his cue from Loki. The first assailant fell with a mighty thud, disappearing into the smoke.

The Asgardian Knight ducked as another Axe glided over his head, dropping low and knocking the feet out from under his attacker.

Slipping his fingers into the hidden pockets stitched in his sleeves, he grabbed two daggers and drove them into a third's solar plexus.

The cries of agony briefly caused the intensity of the oppressive heat to fade from his mind.

There was a thud behind him, and Loki spun to see Thor knocking out one that had snuck up behind the younger prince.

"Thanks, Brother." The old yet warm words slipped out before Loki could even halt them...

**And stay tuned to find out what happens fo everyone's favorite god of mischief!**

**Remember to leave a comment and some suggestions as to what you want to see happen.**

**Until next time- DW**


	4. Calming Down

_How could I be so stupid!?_

This was more or less the tirade swirling through the trickster's mind as he realized the implications of his words.

"Brother?" Thor asked, eyebrows raising to the sky as he took down another foe without looking.

Grabbed from behind, Loki threw his weight down, throwing someone over his shoulder. "Yes- grr- we fight together... humph!... in my own time."

His speech was halted as he fought, but Thor paid it no heed. The answer was enough of an appeasement, for Asgardians were brothers and sisters in combat.

Loki growled, feeling the faint surge of energy deep down, just beyond his grasp. His magic was toying with him, tempting him to reach harder to get it, and reach he did.

"Enough of this foolishness!" Loki growled, shooting his arms out. The smoke shot away, repelled by an invisible force.

As for their attackers, Loki recognized them as AIM infiltrators. The axes they had been using were high tech with a vibranium edge.

It was unusual for AIM to use melee weapons, puzzling loki even further.

The lab was an absolute wreck, but the Knight's magic had quelled the fires.

Since all of the immediate attackers had been subdued, Loki and Thor quickly entered the glass compartment of the lab. The walls had been shattered, making access easy.

A thick layer of dust had settled in the air, despite the absence of smoke and flame. Loki's magic could only do so much at the moment.

The search for Stark ended as quickly as it began.

"Thor, over here. I've found him!" Knight called, struggling to heave a slab of concrete off the inventor.

Thor made it easier; and once stark was clear, Loki searched for a pulse.

"Well, friend knight?"

"He's... he's got a pulse, but it's weak. I believe his arc reactor was damaged in the attack, possibly an EMP. Could explain why Jarvis couldn't gain access to this floor."

"I would believe he built the arc reactor stronger than that."

"Well perhaps he never believed he'd get attacked by an EMP in his own home." Loki sighed. "He always is short sighted."

"What do we do?" Thor demands.

"Stay with Stark. I need to find Banner. He probably knows how to replace the arc reactor."

"He's probably in a mood." Thor stated. That was a nice way of saying hulked out.

"Don't worry. I've calmed him before."

"You have?" Thor looked incredulous.

"Yes, now if Stark's heart stops, use Mjolnir to give him a small burst of electricity... not too much or you'll kill him."

"Won't he already be dead?" Thor asked as Loki stopped next to the door.

The younger prince froze for mere seconds before running off and shouting over his shoulder-

"More dead!"

Loki used the massive crater in the wall to spot the hulk terrorizing several AIM choppers on a nearby rooftop. Nat and Rogers were with him, putting the choppers down before they arrived at the Tower.

The Asgardian Knight had to trust his judgement, diving out of the opening and free falling head first. He shifted his weight, opening a portal beneath him which deposited him on a roof. He rolled, bouncing to his feet in a dead run.

The hulk was busy with a chopper, throwing anything he could get his hands on at it. When all else failed, he jumped on it, causing both of them to spiral into an alley way.

Loki followed suit, ignoring the widow and the soldier. Hulk was trashing the chopper, its occupants clearly dead.

"Hey, Banner." Loki called. Hulk whipped around and roared at him. "It's time to rest now. Your job is done."

He was unaware of his audience on the roof.

"What is he-" Steve wondered aloud.

"Shh." Nat cut him off. "Now I'm curious... Just watch."

Loki put up his hands. "The hulk's done very good. I bet he enjoyed smashing didn't he?"

"Hulk Smash!" The green monster sneered.

"Yes, yes, and quite nicely at that. But now it's time for the hulk to sleep, because we need Banner."

"Banner puny." Hulk grumbled.

"No, Banner makes the hulk strong. Without Banner, hulk wouldn't exist. We need to say thank you to Banner. Can I say thank you to Banner for making the Hulk strong enough to smash?"

"Hmm.. maybe?"

"Banner can't hear me right now. And I can't thank him if he can't hear me."

"Fine. Banner come out for little while. Then Hulk smash more! Uh... how I let Banner out?"

"Just close your eyes." Loki approached. In his own time, he would often find ways to make the hulk curious. Curiosity was one of Banner's outlets, and a foothold for the scientist to break through... not to mention, the more curious the hulk was, the less angry. "Close your eyes and think of the sky, how pretty it is."

He could see the Hulk relaxing, getting tired.

"How quiet it is at night, to gaze into the heavens and see the stars greeting you every-"

**Thud**.

And the Hulk was out.

Steve and Nat just stared in shock. "How did heDo that?" Clint asked into the com links. He was two buildings away with a bird's eye view.

"From the looks of it? Lots of a practice." Natasha murmured.

* * *

Hey. On a short note, I'd like to thank the guest who pointed out a rather irritating error. In my last chapter, Loki's mask was heating up to the point of damaging his face, and thus adding to the many scars he has beneath his magical illusion.

And to the same guest... yes, that is an awesome idea for a reveal which mirrors my own.

Until next time- DW


	5. Hitting The Mark

"He calmed the Hulk down... Not just anyone can do that." Steve huffed as they sat around Stark's hospital bed. Loki had retired to his room to sleep off the headache that magic depletion wrought.

The rest of the Avengers had decided to discuss the scary amount of logic the Asgardian Knight clearly possessed.

"I agree." Stark replied, propping himself up on his elbows despite the still fading pain in his chest.

Steve huffed again. "I still think we should tell Fury. This guy...he's off."

"Okay, let's discuss the fact that he got out of lockdown. He got Thor out of lockdown, and then he found me."

"Maybe he broke a window?"

"Unlikely. He looks tough, but not strong enough to smash my windows."

"Stark is right. His fighting is one of leverage, not brute strength, and it is indeed Asgardian. He was trained well, most likely by own instructor. I don't know who's under the mask, but it is likely we know each other well."

"That's not helpful at all." Stark deadpanned.

"If I may, sir." Jarvis spoke from the speaker on the wall.

"Go ahead, Jarv."

"He not only knew of my existance, but one of your top secret access codes. On top of that, he knew where Thor's room was without any direction on my part."

"Really?" Tony hummed, gears spinning.

"Come to think of it... He mentioned that he and I fought side by side in his own time." Thor added, shifting his gaze out the window, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"So clearly he's been in this Tower before, and has personal info regarding two of our strongest members... spy maybe?"

"Unlikely." Natasha said. "Memorizing a floor plan is one thing, but being able to calm a raging hulk down... that's something you practice."

"Hey... You guys don't think..." Banner muttered slowly.

Captain Oblivious Barton shook his head. "Don't think what?"

"Well... I think... it's a growing probability... that maybe... just maybe... he's an Avenger."

* * *

Howdy Folks. Here's another chapter for you all. It's kinda short, but gices some insight into the puzzled minds of the Avengers. As always, stay tuned for more.

-DW


	6. Budding Friendships

_"I made you a promise, remember, frost giant?"_

_"__**Get out of my head!"**_

_"Why? I'm so at home here in the rather boring confines of your pathetic mortal mind, Laufeyson."_

_"Odinson. It's Odinson you... you... you giant purple grape!" _

_"Resorting to the fearful insults of the midgaurdians... When did you become so idiotically corrupted and weak?"_

_"When I finally got free from you." _

_"Are you free?" Thanos Voice asked as the darkness faded, replaced by a scene from the tower, every Avenger laying gruesomely murdered before him. His brother was included amongst the carnage, causing Loki to gag and reel back. "No." He whispered as his foot came down on someone's wrist. There was a crunch as Hawkeye's bones cracked and turned to dust beneath his boot. Hawkeye disintegrated, the rest of the corpses following suit._

_Loki went wide eyed in horror, falling down and scrambling back as more corpses sprung up from under the floor tiles, grabbing him. They were the fallen from New York, the innocent lives claimed by his hands... Or rather claimed by Thanos's hands through him. As he was yanked by bony decrepit hands towards a massive hole in the floor, he started flailing, finally letting out a gut wrenching scream. _

_"Oh Knight knight knight... You should have known I always win. I always win Knight... Knight I always win... Knight... Knight..."_

* * *

"Knight!" Loki was being shaken violently by someone. His fist shot out, locking around Thanos's neck, but it was thinner... The voice was wrong... He blinked away the surprise, and saw Black Widow gasping in surprise before jamming three fingers into his throat. It didn't do much against the armor protecting it, but it got his attention. His fingers released from her neck as he looked down in shame.

"M... My apologies, Widow." He brought his hands back, hesitating, like he wanted to help, unsure how. His eyes were wide behind the mask. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I-"

Widow held her hand up, rubbing her neck with the sore one. "It's... okay." She sounded winded. "Honestly I should have known better than to wake someone I don't know up from a nightmare as bad as that one... Especially in our line of work."

"That doesn't excuse-"

"You were having a nightmare. I could hear your screaming from down the hall."

"Oh? I'll have to learn to scream more quietly." Loki attempted a half joke, only to fall flat with his humor. The nightmares were terrifying, ravaging his mind whenever he slept, an unwelcome intruder whenever he closed his eyes. The horror was always different, an after affect of having Thanos poking around in your head. He had personally severed Thanos's head from his shoulders, giving a sure indicator that the mad titan was not truly in his head... No this was just a horrifying effect of PTSD.

"If that's your version of funny, I'd prefer you to keep it so yourself." Natasha deadpanned, making Loki's blood run cold.

He always seemed to mess up around her, to make mistakes which horribly embarrassed him in some way or another. He was pretty sure that Tony was running a betting pool behind the scenes each week. 'How many times can Loki screw up in front of Natasha?.'

That was of course back in his own time.

"I'm sorry. Believe it or not, I picked it up from you." Came the god's reply.

"Me?" The widow was incredulous."I don't think we've really met."

"We have, but you'll really get to know who I am in a year or so." Loki offered quietly. "That's when it will really matter."

"Who says I _want_ to wait a year? You're here now... And I have to admit I'm curious."

"Curiosity is a dangerous game, filled with secrets which could easily get you hurt."

"Is that a threat?"

"No... just a warning."

"Well here Mr. Warning bell boy, I brought you some lunch." She tossed a sandwich to his chest, and she could have sworn his emerald green eyes lit up a little more brightly.

"Though it's been two says since AIM's attack-" She continued. "- and you haven't shown your face since you slipped up here; the others are wondering about why that would be."

"I enjoy my privacy." Loki replied. "Besides, a freak such as myself wouldn't be welcome in the grub grab." Grub grab was a name Peter Parker had given the cafeteria. Oh Peter, the little brother of the Avengers. How Loki missed the webslinger. Perhaps it was because he had been the first to trust Loki, when no one else dared to. There was a strong bond between them.

"Freak?" Natasha asked, mulling his statement over in the back of his head. "Hardly. I mean, come on, we have a god and a monster on our team... What's a privacy lover to that?"

She always had a way of stating the obvious that got people to listen. Some things about her would never change he supposed.

"Fair enough m'lady... Fair enough."


	7. Stubbed Toes

Despite Natasha's initial attempt to draw the mysterious Asgardian Knight out of his shell, he hadn't decided to 'come out and play', to borrow the phrase.

Natasha frowned as she leaned on the frail metal railing that overlooked the city. New York was mighty with its towering spires and glistening glass infrastructure.

While Mighty it may be, crime lurked in the dark, threatening to corrupt the goodness that fought not to be snuffed out.

That's why the Avengers existed... or so they claimed. In reality, the little guys dealt with the little threats; but Natasha did her best to balance things out.

There were many mysteries in the city below, mysteries Natasha had determined to uncover... with force if neccessary.

But then again, there was a mystery right beneath her feet. For the Asgardian Knight was truly enigmatic, proving a greater challenge. Her mind drifted to what the mysterious man looked like beneath the mask.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

"Oh, hey, Steve." Nat smiled. "What are you doing up here?"

"Oh, I came to the roof to sketch the skyline. Sunset's the best time." Roger's replied, setting his easel down and sitting on a vent. "But honestly I was going to ask you the same."

"Just thinking."

"Knight.'

"How'd you know?" The suspicion thick in her voice as she glanced over her shoulder at him.

"You took him lunch and never came back." Steve replied. "How's he doing?"

"Well he seems to be under the impression that he's unwelcome in the cafeteria."

"Well we haven't exactly been hospitable." Steve admitted, rubbing the back of his head as he studied his half completed sketch.

"Well then, I guess the cause isn't too difficult to figure out then."

"Natasha, we barely know anything about him. He goes around with a mask that he refuses to take off and knows things he really shouldn't."

"He's from the future." She shifted her stance so her back was to the city. "He's quiet, loyal, selfess... "

"Two faced." Steve supplied, resulting in a twisted glare from Natasha.

"Think what you want... but my gut tells me he's alright."

"Far be it from me to argue with your gut."

"Steve-"

"I'm sorry Natasha... I just don't... He's hiding something. Something big."

* * *

When the walls feel like they're collapsing in on you, it's time for a change of scenery. Loki was getting stronger, more powerful... yet still as weak as a kitten compared to his former strength.

He was nervous about leaving his room. It made him queasy and uneasy. They were smart, wickedly intelligent with eyes like snakes.

At one point, this made them his greatest allies; but right now, that made them his worst enemies. He could pretend to be someone else; heck, he wasmasterfulat it.

He decided that risking a few steps to the roof easily outweighed the variable of going stircrazy in his room.

Mentally deducing the steps it would require to slip up to the roof, Loki peaked out his door. The coast was clear.

With quick, purposeful steps he stalked towards the stairwell. As he moved forward, the false impression of being Scot-free entered his mind... until the Hiss of a door opening dashed those Hopes apart.

"I was wondering when you'd crawl out of the rathole." Clint said, stepping out and leaning against the door.

"Ah, the archer."

"Is that what you call me in the future?" Clint asked. "Or wherever the heck you came from?"

"No. I call you Clint; though when you decide to irritate me, I do enjoy calling you bird brain. Picked that one up from Stark."

He enjoyed the ire that flashed across Clint's face.

"Look, you may have Banner and Nat fooled; but I knowExactlywhat you are."

"And what am I?" Loki demands, stepping within strike range to prove that he was not at all afraid of the hawk. "A spy? No if I were a spy, I'd have all I need to destroy you all. I could kill you all myself."

Clint narrowed his eyes. "And it's just coincidence that AIM attacked the day after you arrived?"

"Fine, you want proof that I'm from the future? Then I can tell you that in five minutes, Thor's gonna stub his toe and get angry enough to turn the tower's lights out with his thunder."

"That's the most bizarre thing I've ever heard." Clint sniffed.

"Oh? Just you watch. It's an event still talked about in my time.' Loki smiled ruefully. "Now if you'll excuse me, the roof is calling."

As Loki brushed passed, he opened the door and slipped upstairs. Clint just scowled at his back.

* * *

Five minutes to the dot, Thor's horrified bellow shook the tower as every light went out.


End file.
